John R. Lott Jr.

John R. Lott Jr. is a senior research scholar at Yale University Law School and the author of More Guns, Less Crime. The following viewpoint is adapted from an article Lott wrote for the Los Angeles Times, in which he argues against the institution of a gun licensing and registration system in California. Lott maintains that background checks and waiting periods, such as those mandated by the federal Brady Law, have failed to reduce violent crime. Moreover, Lott contends that licensing and registration hurt law-abiding citizens by making it harder for them to obtain a handgun for self-defense. As of 2000, California law required a 10-day waiting period on all gun purchases but did not require individuals to obtain a permit in order to purchase a firearm.

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